Community
Blue Mountain Eagle
Wednesday, August 15, 2018
A9
W HAT’S
HAPPENING
The deadline for What’s Happening items is 5 p.m. Friday.
Call the Eagle, 541-575-0710, or email editor@bmeagle.com.
For meetings this week, see our list in the classifieds.
WEDNESDAY, AUG. 15
‘A Community Touched by Suicide’
• 6-8 p.m., John Day Senior Center
The public forum is sponsored by Community Counseling
Solutions and Lines for Life. Refreshments will be provided. For
more information, call 541-676-9161.
WEDNESDAY-SATURDAY, AUG. 15-18
Grant County Fair
• 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., Wednesday-Thursday
• 8 a.m. to midnight, Friday-Saturday
• Grant County Fairgrounds, John Day
Features of the fair include a live concert by Lonestar on
Friday, the parade on Saturday and daily entertainment acts by
hypnotists, fiddlers, a comedy act and more. The pavilion is
open during the day. Admission to the fair is $5 per day or $12
for a week pass; seniors are $2 per day, and children 5 years old
and younger are free. Parking passes cost $3 per day or $10 for
the week. The carnival will open at 5 p.m. Wednesday, 3 p.m.
on Thursday and Friday and noon on Saturday. Passes for the
fair and carnival can be purchased at Len’s Drug, Radio Shack,
Bar WB, Boyer’s Store, Duke Warner Realty, Jonna Joe’s Hair
Care and the fairgrounds. For more information, call the fair
office at 541-575-1900 or visit grantcountyfairgroundsor.com.
Eagle file photo
Justin Josey avoids a bull during a bullfight at the Grant County Fair last year. Bullfighting is scheduled for 8 p.m.
Saturday.
no charge to attend. Space is limited, and RSVPs are encouraged.
For more information contact the OTEC office at 541-575-0161.
WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 5
Nonprofit ‘Nuts and Bolts’ planning workshop
SATURDAY, AUG. 18
Star program
• 8-10 p.m., John Day Fossil Beds, 9 miles west of Dayville
John Fiedor, retired National Park Service ranger, will host an
evening of viewing planets, stars and galaxies at the Thomas Con-
don Paleontology Center. The outdoor viewing will be preceded by
an astronomy program. Clear or cloudy, a program will be present-
ed. There is no cost to attend. For more information, call the Fossil
Beds at 541-987-2333.
Freestyle bullfighting
• 8 p.m., Grant County Fairgrounds
Bullfighters will face off with nine purebred fighting bulls, sup-
plied by Hamsher Fighting Bulls. A 50/50 raffle and pie auction
will be held. Admission to the event is free with fair admittance.
MONDAY, AUG. 20
Regional tourism gathering
• 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., Silvies Valley Ranch
The Eastern Oregon Visitors Association will present a gath-
ering for businesses or those coordinating events or attractions.
Chambers of commerce from Grant and Harney counties, as well
as the Ontario Chamber of Commerce, will host the meeting. Par-
ticipants are encouraged to learn how the EOVA and Travel Ore-
gon communicate with potential visitors and share what’s happen-
ing with their business or event for EOVA to pass on. RSVP by
Aug. 15 to the EOVA by email at eova@eon.com or by phone at
541-856-3272.
Commercial floats, including Chester’s Thriftway and
Pioneer Feed, added to last year’s colorful Grant County
Fair Parade. The parade is at 10 a.m. Saturday this year.
TUESDAY, AUG. 21
Family fun evening
• 6-8 p.m., Grant County Historical Museum, Canyon City
Families are invited for an evening of fun and learning at the
museum, with activities to include live history presentations,
games and crafts and an ice cream treat. Children must be accom-
panied by an adult. The cost is $2 per person, and children 6 years
old and younger are free. For more information, call the museum
at 541-575-0362.
MONDAY, AUG. 27
Energy efficiency class
• 1:30 p.m., Oregon Trail Electric Co-op office, 400 Patterson
Bridge Rd., John Day
OTEC will present a program titled “Energy 101: How to save
money by saving energy.” The class is designed to help members
learn about potential electricity inefficiency in their home and what
programs are available to them. Participants can learn about gener-
al conservation and also ask specific questions about their unique
situations. The class will last approximately an hour, and there is
• 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Grant County Regional Airport
The event, facilitated by the Nonprofit Association of Oregon,
is designed to provide rural nonprofit organizations with the tools
and knowledge to develop a strategic plan, write grants, put on an
event and more. Registration is required, and space is limited to
25. For more information and to register, visit nonprofitoregon.org/
civicrm/event/info?reset=1&id=3122.
THURSDAY, SEPT. 6
Nonprofit resource roundup
• 8:45 a.m. to noon, Grant County Regional Airport
Nonprofit Association of Oregon is offering a no-cost oppor-
tunity for nonprofit staff, board and volunteers to connect, meet
funders and learn about available resources. Registration is re-
quired. To register, visit nonprofitoregon.org/civicrm/event/in-
fo?id=3055&reset=1.
SATURDAY-SUNDAY, SEPT. 15-16
Youth pheasant hunt
• 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., Prairie Wood Products, Prairie City
Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and partners stock
pheasants for special hunts that give youth a head start on reg-
ular pheasant seasons. Quail and dove also can be hunted. The
event is open to youth who have passed hunter education. There
is no cost, but each participant must have a license ($10 for
youth 12 and older, free for age 11 and under) to hunt. Youth
hunters age 12-17 also need an upland game bird validation
($4). Each youth must be accompanied by an adult at least 21
years of age to supervise. To register or for more information,
call the John Day office at 541-575-1167 or visit myodfw.com/
workshops-and-events.
Public Forum
A Community Touched
by Suicide
August 15, 2018 • 6:00pm - 8:00pm
John Day Senior Center
(Refreshments Provided)
• In 2016, the suicide rate per 100,000 youths aged 10-24 was 12.97 in
Oregon, compared to 9.6 nationwide. Suicide is the second leading
cause of death amongst this age category in Oregon.
• Grant County (combined with Lake and Harney) youth are a full
5 percentage points higher in the contemplating suicide category
compared to the rest of the state.
• Its not a stretch to state that Grant County has experienced, or is
experiencing, a suicide cluster, defined as “multiple suicidal behaviours
or suicides that fall within an accelerated time frame, and sometimes
within a defined geographical area.” In this case, it would specifically
be a “point cluster”: Point clusters involve suicides that are close in
time and/or space. They often occur within institutional settings such as
hospitals, prisons, or schools, or within distinct communities.” These
are more common in smaller, family like communities. Gilliam County
experienced this from 2006-2011, when they had one youth suicide per
year for 5 years. They were off the charts.
• There have been more suicides in Grant County this year than
homicides.
• There were 45,000 suicides in the US in 2016, more than twice the
number of homicides.
• Among people ages 15-34, suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death.
• Grant County in the past 7 months has had at least four completed
suicides. Usually there is an average of approximately 1 per year.
Lines for Life is the agency that will be providing the community forum. They are nationally recognized in their work
on suicide prevention. They provide hallmark training taught by certified professionals, assisting schools and
communities in identifying at risk individuals and to respond to signs and symptoms.
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